# MLB. When is it acceptable for a ball player to throw a souvenir baseball into the stands?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-when-is-it-acceptable-for-a-ball-player-to-throw-a-souvenir-baseball-into-the-stands/817985
**Category:** The Game Room
**Created:** [July 16, 2018, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-when-is-it-acceptable-for-a-ball-player-to-throw-a-souvenir-baseball-into-the-stands/817985 "2018-07-16T03:43:09Z")
**Posts on this page:** 14
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2018, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-when-is-it-acceptable-for-a-ball-player-to-throw-a-souvenir-baseball-into-the-stands/817985/1 "2018-07-16T03:43:09Z")
While watching MLB games, you see many balls tossed into the stands. Can anyone throw a souvenir ball?
Maybe a better question is, when is it not allowed, or not “cool “ to gift a ball?
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### Author:  [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2018, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-when-is-it-acceptable-for-a-ball-player-to-throw-a-souvenir-baseball-into-the-stands/817985/2 "2018-07-16T04:00:37Z")
IIRC there was a recent incident where a fielder tossed a live ball into the stands that resulted in two extra bases for all the runners. The other situation would be a record breaking ball or something like the ball that was the last out in the World Series or things of that nature.
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### Author:  [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2018, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-when-is-it-acceptable-for-a-ball-player-to-throw-a-souvenir-baseball-into-the-stands/817985/3 "2018-07-16T12:28:58Z")
The live ball situation is definitely the worst. A last out ball for the World Series would be fine for a fielder to toss into the stands (even though it would be a financial mistake, likely.)
The other big time that it wouldn’t be okay, however, would be a ball that was the first hit for a rookie. It’s generally understood that you do your best to get those back to the dugout so player can keep it. It’s just as understood that the guys in your dugout will pretend to throw them into the stands, particularly if you seem to be a sentimental or superstitious type.
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### Author:  [@Textual\_Assault](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Textual_Assault)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2018, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-when-is-it-acceptable-for-a-ball-player-to-throw-a-souvenir-baseball-into-the-stands/817985/4 "2018-07-16T16:16:27Z")
Who gives a shit?
Seriously, who gives a shit?
When you have “grown” men shoving 4 year old kids out of the way to try and grab a foul ball hit by some punk ass playing in his fifth major league game, your sport has serious issues.
All the “unspoken rules of baseball” are moronic and stupid.
And if you actually care if what you’re doing is cool, there is no way you can ever be cool.
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### Author:  [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2018, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-when-is-it-acceptable-for-a-ball-player-to-throw-a-souvenir-baseball-into-the-stands/817985/5 "2018-07-16T16:35:20Z")
If you “don’t give a shit”, why did you make such an energetic effort to trash this thread? Since the OP obviously “gives a shit”, he is looking for helpful opinions, not vitriol.
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### Author:  [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2018, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-when-is-it-acceptable-for-a-ball-player-to-throw-a-souvenir-baseball-into-the-stands/817985/6 "2018-07-16T16:50:44Z")
> [@Textual\_Assault](#):
>
> Who gives a shit?
>
> Seriously, who gives a shit?
>
> When you have “grown” men shoving 4 year old kids out of the way to try and grab a foul ball hit by some punk ass playing in his fifth major league game, your sport has serious issues.
>
> All the “unspoken rules of baseball” are moronic and stupid.
>
> And if you actually care if what you’re doing is cool, there is no way you can ever be cool.
Are you going to go into every thread on the Dope and launch a screed about every topic about which you “don’t give a shit?” I don’t know about you, but I wish I had the time for such a venture…
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### Author:  [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2018, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-when-is-it-acceptable-for-a-ball-player-to-throw-a-souvenir-baseball-into-the-stands/817985/7 "2018-07-16T17:38:44Z")
Base hit milestone balls would never be tossed in the stands since the ball is still live when fielded and the other team will be signaling for it.
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### Author:  [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2018, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-when-is-it-acceptable-for-a-ball-player-to-throw-a-souvenir-baseball-into-the-stands/817985/8 "2018-07-16T18:31:08Z")
If you’re asking this seriously then it’s during batting practice (before the game), any time the ball is called foul on the field (already out of play) and after the 3rd out of whatever half of the inning you’re in (because the teams aren’t playing at that moment and the ball is, again, not live).
Basically any time the ball is dead.
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### Author:  [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2018, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-when-is-it-acceptable-for-a-ball-player-to-throw-a-souvenir-baseball-into-the-stands/817985/9 "2018-07-16T18:47:36Z")
> [@jaycat](#):
>
> Are you going to go into every thread on the Dope and launch a screed about every topic about which you “don’t give a shit?” I don’t know about you, but I wish I had the time for such a venture…
Username/post combo for Textual Assault…
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### Author:  [@Textual\_Assault](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Textual_Assault)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2018, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-when-is-it-acceptable-for-a-ball-player-to-throw-a-souvenir-baseball-into-the-stands/817985/10 "2018-07-16T18:50:23Z")
> [@Jasmine](#):
>
> If you “don’t give a shit”, why did you make such an energetic effort to trash this thread? Since the OP obviously “gives a shit”, he is looking for helpful opinions, not vitriol.
\*Tosses casual glance at **Textual Assault** ’s first post in thread, then even more casual glance at **Jasmine** ’s response, shakes head.
There was no vitriol in my post. To classify as vitriol you have to have a zillion exclamation points and your post has to be in all caps, neither of which occurred.
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### Author:  [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Backwater_Under_Duck)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2018, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-when-is-it-acceptable-for-a-ball-player-to-throw-a-souvenir-baseball-into-the-stands/817985/11 "2018-07-17T02:17:58Z")
Back in the day, as the man says, balls were thrown back into the stands if it bounced out of the stands. As in a foul ball. And not always. They were very conservative with their inventory and liked to hold onto it. This is what I remember from watching baseball. The owners knew they couldn’t get over-the-fence balls back, but they didn’t want to lose them for no reason. My personal observation: The baseball strike crippled the game severely. When it was over it was obvious that MLB, as a fan friendly gesture, encouraged way more fan distribution of errant balls. Even foul ball kids at the corners can distribute balls occasionally. The reason? You give a kid a ball and you have a fan for life.
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### Author:  [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2018, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-when-is-it-acceptable-for-a-ball-player-to-throw-a-souvenir-baseball-into-the-stands/817985/12 "2018-07-17T03:30:55Z")
> [@Textual\_Assault](#):
>
> Who gives a shit?
>
> Seriously, who gives a shit?
>
> When you have “grown” men shoving 4 year old kids out of the way to try and grab a foul ball hit by some punk ass playing in his fifth major league game, your sport has serious issues.
>
> All the “unspoken rules of baseball” are moronic and stupid.
>
> And if you actually care if what you’re doing is cool, there is no way you can ever be cool.
Your ass is in the jackpot.
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### Author:  [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2018, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-when-is-it-acceptable-for-a-ball-player-to-throw-a-souvenir-baseball-into-the-stands/817985/13 "2018-07-17T04:39:04Z")
> [@Textual\_Assault](#):
>
> Who gives a shit?
>
> Seriously, who gives a shit?
>
> When you have “grown” men shoving 4 year old kids out of the way to try and grab a foul ball hit by some punk ass playing in his fifth major league game, your sport has serious issues.
>
> All the “unspoken rules of baseball” are moronic and stupid.
>
> And if you actually care if what you’re doing is cool, there is no way you can ever be cool.
Stay classy, **Textual Assault**.
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### Author:  [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)
#### Post date: [July 17, 2018, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-when-is-it-acceptable-for-a-ball-player-to-throw-a-souvenir-baseball-into-the-stands/817985/14 "2018-07-17T06:09:11Z")
> [@Textual\_Assault](#):
>
> Who gives a shit?
>
> Seriously, who gives a shit?
>
> When you have “grown” men shoving 4 year old kids out of the way to try and grab a foul ball hit by some punk ass playing in his fifth major league game, your sport has serious issues.
>
> All the “unspoken rules of baseball” are moronic and stupid.
>
> And if you actually care if what you’re doing is cool, there is no way you can ever be cool.
You give a shit, obviously. Seriously, you give a shit.